My favorite classic monster book to read was Dracula. I feel that Kiersten White did a wonderful job diving deeper into the much maligned story of Lucy and finally gave her the happy ending that she deserved.

This books jumps from present to past via the diary of Lucy while she was alive and then transcripts with a therapist (reminded me of Interview with a Vampire) recounting her vampiric afterlife. All this gave Lucy good depth and explains what shaped her into a fairly well adjusted vampire (at least better than the Lover or the Queen). The other present viewpoint is from Iris, on the run from a giant MLM company, Goldaming, a business with a secret and sordid past touting a special way of life, becoming living gods and goddesses at the highest level (hint hint, not quite as true as advertised).

So, I did enjoy the past sections more than the present ones because they made Lucy seem fully real while Iris didn't have too much depth, though she did have much better morals than her mother and the company she leads. But I did enjoy how it all tied up in the end with characters past and present finally all get together to finish what was started so long ago when Dracula first went hunting, killing, and changing Lucy and the friends she made who were also his creations but became their own women and stronger because of it.

This was a satisfying book to read and props to the cover which so cool and lets you know that Lucy is not to be messed with. She deserves that.

Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. While I was hooked by the concept & the cover art, it felt as if the author was not able to manage all the storylines well. Iris & Lucy, though being of adult age, were written very immaturely and the book came across as YA despite being an adult book. I really struggled to finish this book & would have DNF'd if not reading for a book club. Our podcast review @OWUBPod will be released on 09/25/2024.

The cover is my favorite thing about this book, it's amazing!

I really liked the idea of this, it was an interesting premise. I always appreciate a story of a woman taking control of her life after having others dictate everything. I liked the multiple POVs, switch between past a present. I haven't read Dracula in a long time, so I really couldn't compare it to the original. I like how the two MC's stories were woven together by the diaries.

It fell flat for me in execution, I found it to be too long, the pacing too slow, the switching between timelines and POVs was disjointed and it was difficult to keep up with everything. The dialogue was also cringey at times.

Fans of Long Live Evil, Darker Mischief, and The Lost Apothecary may enjoy this!

Thank you TBR Beyond Tours and Del Rey/PRH for the ARC!

Lucy has risen from the grave and is trying to escape Dracula. She meets Iris in her current life and finds similarities and connection while trying to navigate modern day events.

I usually love an alternating timeline and POV but I found myself lost in this one. There were moments of fun and good pacing followed by long periods of boredom which really made this difficult for me to pick up at times. I wanted to like it so much more! I found the characters started out really fun and colorful only to fall flat later on. I can definitely understand those that loved it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kiersten White, and Random House Publishing Group for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on September 10th.

I have posted my review on Goodreads, my Facebook book club, and will make a TikTok.

I love the cover, and I'm a sucker for gothic vampires and a Dracula retelling; however, the pacing was a huge drag in my ability to enjoy this book. It's actually why I'm a bit late in posting the review. I found myself reading the more enjoyable parts and skimming others. I did not what to DNF this book because I was so excited for it. The beginning was very good, but the author did not keep the pace with the rest of the book, and I found myself getting irritated at the characters. Maybe if it has been shortened to a novella, this would have been fine.

I remember absolutely nothing about Dracula, but I love this sapphic take. Following Lucy’s journey as a vampire was such a good time. I was surprised to see a gothic fantasy/romance from Kiersten White, but I’m glad she did it.

I did struggle through the first half of the book. There are multiple timelines and POVs, there’s a lot going on. Sometimes I felt a bit lost or like I wanted to rush back to my favorite POV (Lucy talking about being a bad ass vampire). However, about halfway through the book, there’s a big bang moment and everything aligns. After that, I could not put it down.

Thank you to @netgalley and @delreybooks for my review copy. Lucy Undying is out now. If you love a slow burn, gothic, sapphic vampire love story with action and drama, you’ll be needing this one.

There’s so much that great about this book, the haunting atmosphere old style of writing reminds me of Anne Rice. A lot of this actually reminded me of Anne Rices Interview with a Vampire series. I would say anyone who enjoyed an older style of writing with a touch of new age would enjoy this. I personally had a hard time connecting but what isn’t for me could definitely be for someone else! Thank you NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this work.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I think her writing is just not for me. While I loved the dual timelines and the romantic writing style, I felt that the story was dragged out far too long. I also felt that the characters were kind of drab as well, but that's just me. I'd recommend this to my historical fiction/vampire lovers because it felt much more like his fic pacing.

low 4 because there were one too many twists/reveals & I wasnt a fan of every POV being a different tense. it made it feel messy & inconsistent to read. however, the writing is stunning especially in the first half even though it got a bit melodramatic/angsty by the end, but this had all the vibes I wanted An Education in Malice to have. I also wasn't expecting Dracula to be a character, but ironically (for me bc I love the classic), I got more bored at the point of the book when he made his appearances.

I had so much fun with this lush story. This is the vampire book of the year and I can’t wait till everyone else reads itṾ

Lucy Undying was an okay reimagining of Lucy Westenra’s character from Dracula. While there were a lot of elements that I enjoyed, the pacing and story development were just too slow for my liking.

I was able to listen to the audiobook as well and it definitely made the story more engaging, as there were multiple narrators.

While it was mainly in both the heroine’s POVs there were POVs of other side characters as well. There were also alternating timelines, which was intriguing.

The overall premise was interesting with the gothic horror and vampire element. I loved the feminine rage and empowerment. There were some dark and interesting moments as well.

However, the biggest issue for me was that unfortunately nothing really happened plot-wise. The pacing of the story was just very slow and boring at times.

The last few chapters was where all the action occurred but everything was resolved quite quickly. The buildup to the confrontation between certain characters was a bit underwhelming as well.

The romance between the heroine’s was amazing though. I loved their connection and devotion to one another.

Overall, a decent read I was just hoping for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I recently picked up "Lucy Undying" by Kiersten White, and it turned out to be an interesting read. It's a fresh take on the Dracula story, putting Lucy Westenra in the spotlight this time. White does a great job bringing Victorian London to life – you can almost feel the fog rolling in as you read.

The book has its ups and downs. On the plus side, it explores some compelling themes about women's roles and desires in 19th-century society, which adds nice depth to the vampire lore we all know. The new spin on familiar characters kept things engaging too.

That said, the pacing felt off in places, and hardcore Dracula fans might find it strays too far from the original. But if you're in the mood for something different in the gothic horror genre, it's worth checking out. It's not perfect, but it's certainly thought-provoking and entertained me more than I expected.

thank you so much to netgalley and tbr and beyond for the early copy! all my opinions are my own!

everybody say THANK YOU KIERSTEN WHITE FOR WRITING LUCY WESTENRA'S STORY 😭😭
i didn't even know i needed to read it until she announced. and i knew i wouldn't rest until i got my hands on an ARC, which i thankfully did. and i'm so grateful because i can't believe how fast i devoured this baby and how much i enjoyed it 😍
i'm still convinced that it's best to enter this book without reading the synopsis because it kinda gives away a very important plot point at the middle of the book, and it's best knowing that it follows three different POVs: Iris, the diary of Lucy, and Lucy herself as a vampire. and that was enough to keep me reading, because every cliffhanger made it even harder to drop it. i adored the mystery, the connections, the side characters, LUCY'S STORY AND POV HURTS SO MUCH I CAN'T 💔💔 gosh it's so well written that i hated how well the Dracula twist was done but i don't even care because she deserved a better story than the one she had in the OG novel. the vampire's explanation was really cool as well, i still love how the authors create their own version of the creature while remaining faithful to the original, and Lucy being so powerful and cool??? gosh, i fell so in love with her 💜💜
i wish this book gets the love it deserves because i just can't deal with how much i loved it. pleaaase go read it if you haven't yet!!!

Unfortunately, I did not love this. The pacing was too slow and the amount POV characters that was too much and could have better utilized. Love the concept and cover though.

Lucy Undying offers an engrossing and original take on vampire lore, with Lucy Westerna standing out as a deeply developed character who draws readers into her world. Her transformation into a vampire and the ensuing exploration of her immortal life are particularly captivating, overshadowing the contemporary romance subplot with Iris.

Lucy’s journey—marked by her struggles, sacrifices, and evolving self-awareness—forms the heart of the novel. Her experiences with Dracula, her exploration of sexuality, and her complex emotions create a richly layered narrative. The book’s pacing keeps the story engaging throughout its lengthy span, ensuring that readers remain hooked by Lucy’s epic tale.

In contrast, the present-time story involving Iris, though well-intentioned, lacks the depth seen in Lucy’s arc. Iris’s development feels somewhat less nuanced, which can make it challenging to fully connect with her character. Her struggles to escape her family legacy are relatable, but at times, her immaturity can be frustrating.

The novel excels in its use of diary entries and psychiatric sessions, which add depth and insight into Lucy’s psyche. These elements enrich the narrative, offering a thoughtful exploration of Lucy’s immortal life and her relationships.

Overall, Lucy Undying is a riveting fantasy that will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy complex, fanged protagonists and richly woven tales of self-discovery. Its unique take on the vampire genre, combined with a tantalizing sapphic journey, makes it a standout read in the fantasy genre.

UMMM WHERE DO I START?
oh yeah, how about once again Kiersten White wows me with a beautiful story!
I loved the characters, Lucy reminded me of myself, too trusting and naive, too loving for her own good. Iris was a general snarky badass and I adored them together!
This was a very character driven book and I loved hearing their stories. The lover, the doctor, even Rahul and Anthony. They were all so interesting and I loved reading about them.
Another thing I loved were the time jumps. Sometimes when jumping from past to present it can get kind of difficult to tell what's going on in the story, but when it's done right, damn is it so good. And it was done right here!
Like. I can't say enough good things about this book. If you like vampires, Dracula, love stories, and just an overall good read, I can't recommend this enough.
Definitely one of my new favorite books of all time, not even exaggerating! |

Lucy Undying is such an interesting twist on the original Dracula story. I was very excited to read this one but unfortunately found that the writing style was not up my alley and the overall pace was extremely slow. I generally have no issues with a slow burn, more often than not a slow paced book is what I prefer. However, because I had trouble enjoying the writing, the pace only further caused issues for me wanting to finish. I think specific types of readers will enjoy this one a ton, especially those who enjoy Sapphic, gothic reads. This will definitely remain a book I recommend throughout the fall season to other readers despite not having entirely worked for me, not to mention the cover is stunning!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for this ARC Copy! 3.5 Stars

This is such an interesting story of the victims of Dracula. Following the POV of human lucy from her diary entries, vampire Lucy in a therapist transcripts, and modern day Iris who is the daughter of an evil mother and her company who rules her life. Dracula has very little presence in this book and a lot of really strange things happened once the story begins to really unfold. I loved reading the diary entries and the transcripts to hear the story of how Lucy was changed and where things went from there, but the whole other ide of the story was interesting. The big reveal about the company was surprising and not necessarily in a good way...

This is the best vampire novel I’ve read in a long time.

Kiersten White has carved out a really unique space in the Horror/Suspense genre. I loved Hide and I think I loved this book even more.

I adore the Gentleman vampire trope and Dracula is one of my all time favorites, so I love seeing a modern author reinterpret the classic novel and successfully employ the gentleman vampire trope. A lot of writers attempt it, but it rarely goes well. Here White did both of these things brilliantly. Though perhaps I should say she successfully deployed the GentleWOMAN vampire trope?!

This book has, essentially, three timelines, though the structure is actually even more complicated than that, and I was really impressed by how well White used structure to make the story more complex and more suspenseful without making it at all convoluted and confusing.

It’s just a really brilliantly-plotted book, and White really hit on something with the way she married the past and the present, both in the continuity for one of the central characters and with the idea of what we might call a “vampire” in modern times.

Largely ignored and mostly condemned original Dracula character Lucy Westenra finally gets to tell her side of the story, and it’s a terrific alternate explanation for the actions of Stoker’s characters.

I’m not a big re-reader, but I’m already thinking about when I might come back to this one, as well as recommending it heartily to anyone who loves Dracula, vampire books in general, or even a delightful story of both love and friendship triumphing in the face of adversity.

Oh, and did I mention that it’s funny? Tough to achieve in a book like this, and masterfully done by White.

Lucy Westenra is alive, or at least what passes for life after being turned into a vampire by Dracula himself. In a multiple POV Dracula meets Interview with the Vampire narrative, we are slowly reintroduced to Lucy as we knew her from Bram Stoker's classic work and catch up with her until modern day. Our eyes to much of this world is Iris, a woman trying to escape her family who stumbles across Lucy's journals while looking for things of value in the London home she inherited from her mother.

I'm a sucker for a good epistolary novel. It makes me feel like I'm living in a character's head. Lucy's journals were a great addition to her modern day narrative, making her feel that much more real. Admittedly, I did have to check now and again to see which version of Lucy I was currently reading about.

If you're looking for a fast paced read, this is not that. It is slow, perhaps to its detriment very early on, but once you settle in, it's a beautiful and haunting study of a young woman who has only ever wanted to love and be loved. I think if you're a fan of Striker's seminal work and, like me, wanted more for Mina's friend than she was given, you're going to love getting to know Lucy.